


maybe it's all gone black, but you're all I see

by wethethousands (atlantisairlock)



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Heavy Angst, POV Third Person Omniscient, Series Finale, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 19:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6871072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atlantisairlock/pseuds/wethethousands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This time, it's their numbers that are up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	maybe it's all gone black, but you're all I see

**Author's Note:**

> title from 'all i need' by mat kearney.

It seems fitting that this is where their final fight would be set. Right here, where it arguably all began. 

And they've won. Of course they have. What other conclusion could this story have come to? How else could it have ended? Samaritan has been razed to the ground, all traces of it purged from the face of this earth, and the world is in new hands. Safe hands. 

 

 

And they are dying. 

 

 

That, too, comes as no surprise. Root even likes it, somewhat. Seeing the bodies of Samaritan's remaining agents strewn across the subway? That's her good end, her privilege. It will have to be enough. And it is. 

The injuries they've all suffered are fatal - she doesn't need Sameen's medical training to know it. Already it's getting harder to breathe. She can hear the stutter of Lionel's uneven gasps. She can hear Bear whimpering softly and licking at John's face.

They are dying. 

But you know what?

It's okay.

 

 

Lionel's eyes are closed as he presses a hand against the wound in his side, shuddering. With her good ear Root can hear John whispering Joss' name, over and over, like a prayer, a benediction.

Her world is greying out at the edges,

but Sameen is here, Sameen is in her arms and that's all that matters, honestly, that's all she cares about in these moments before her heart stops beating. Root uses her remaining strength to pull Sameen close and -

she's dying, she's dying, they're dying, she gets to be selfish just this once,

she whispers what she's never dared say before - 

"I love you."

Sameen rests her head against Root's chest and answers.

"You are my safe place."

And this - this subway, this world, this woman - has always been Root's. 

 

 

In the distance she hears the Machine, hears NATO phonetics,  _tango hotel alpha november kilo yankee oscar uniform._

And they are dying. 

There is silence but for the Machine running on full power, but for their breathing, and Harold's crying, she thinks. It's all so loud, echoes and roars in her head. 

From the corner of her eye she sees John grab Harold's hand. Harold manages to open his eyes, briefly, and struggles to reach Lionel, a little further away. 

John's looking at Sameen, an unreadable expression on his face. Maybe he's angry - at himself, that he couldn't protect her to the very last. 

Root thinks she gets it. 

Sameen looks back at him, slides her hand in his, and curls into Root. She's warm. She's beautiful. She's - 

She's her Shaw. 

 

 

Bear whines, pads over. He can tell, Root knows. He nuzzles against Sameen's side, nudging her again and again, and Sameen winces in pain, but reaches out to pat him gently on the head. 

 _Good boy,_ Root rasps, scratching his ears.  _Good boy, good boy, good boy,_ and at some point the words blend together, and all that comes out is  _goodbyegoodbyegoodbye._

And they are dying, but you know what? It's okay, because they're safe, they did it, they're together. They're holding each others' hands and they're laughing and slowly it gets quieter, quieter, but it's okay. It's okay. They did it. They are safe now. Everyone is safe now. And they are together. They are Team Machine.

 _Sameen,_ Root slurs, static on her tongue and under her eyelids.  _Sameen._

 _Shh, Root,_ Sameen answers, and settles.  _Sleep._

The Machine clicks Morse Code into her cochlear implant, --. --- --- -.. -... -.-- .

And she sleeps. 

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually what i envision would be the perfect ending for person of interest, all while 'all i need' is playing as background music. it's not realistic, but i think it would wrap up the series well while giving all of them the heroes' ending they deserve and would be bittersweetly peaceful. 
> 
> if you've ever read ian mcewan's 'atonement', it's something like what briony talks about in london 1999. 
> 
> the morse code is, of course, the machine saying 'goodbye'.


End file.
